Fire-alarm-telegraph box



G. A. G-AW'LER. Fire Alarm Telegraph Box.

No. 232,702. Pat ented Sept. 28, I880.

e, UNITED STATES PATENT @EEreE.

GEORGE A. GAWLER, 0F ooLUMBus, OHIO.

FlRE-ALARM-TELEGRAPH Box.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 232,702, dated September 28, 1880.

Application filed January 23, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. GAWLER, of Columbus, Franklin county, Ohio, have invented a new and useful improvement in Fire- Alarm-Tele'graph Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a means for storing'the key of a fire-alarm box in, upon, or in immediate eontiguity to the fire'alarm signal-box itself, so as to be within reach of any one desiring to open the firealarm box for the purpose of turning in an alarm of fire, and to provide checks against the improper use of said key by causing an alarm to sound whenever the door of the receptacle in which such key is retained shall be opened, in'lorder to attract attention and thereby lead to the detection of persons wantonly tampering with the fire-alarm box; and it consists in the apparatus and mechanism hereinafter described, by which these results are accomplished.

Mechanism embodying my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is afront elevation of myinvention complete, showing a portion of the fire-alarm signal-box to which it is attached. Fig. 2 is the same with the door of the key-alarm box opened, exhibiting the alarm mechanism in position in-the box and the key-securing mechanism in position attached to the door; and Fig. 3 is a side or edge view of the door and key-securing mechanism, also the trippingfinger attached to the small door.

A in the drawings is areceptacle for the key and the alarm mechanism, which receptacle may be either a part of the fire-alarm signalbox S, or attached to it or located near it.

The embodiment of my invention shown in the drawin gs is designed to be attached to the fire-alarm signal-boxes already generally in use in cities, and is securedifupon the same above or below, as most convenient.

The box A contains a gong, B, provided with a striker, O, operated,by suitable actuating mechanism D, which may be of the kind usually employed in alarm-clocks, and needs no special description. ple form of actuating mechanism, in which, by

, suitable gearing, the force of a coiled spring actuates the striker.

I have shownla sim (ModeL) In order to hold the mechanism in readiness .to operate when wound up, I provide a triplever, G, pivoted to the casing of the mechanism, having a detent or projection, g, engaging the teeth of the actuating cog-wheel H. The outer end of the lever Gr rests against a spring, F, having a recess,f, whose purpose will presently appear. The spring F is attached to a pivoted bentlever, E, whose other end is brought over within convenient reach of the trip-lever G. As will be seen, when the trip-lever G is depressed so that its detent g releases the cog-wheel H, its other end is elevated and caught within the recess f of the spring F, and there held by the spring until released by depressing the remote end of the lever E, which is only done when setting the alarm for action.

Attached to the main door of the box A is a small door or hinged flap, a, opening through the main door, and provided with a knob, a, upon the outside. Projecting inwardly from the flap a is a horizontal bar or cam, b, which, when the parts are in position, rests upon the end of the trip-lever G. The door a, being I horizontally hinged at its upper edge, the bar b describes a downward curve when the door a. is opened, and thus depresses the lever G and releases the alarm mechanism. In rear of the small door a the opening is closed on the two sides and bottom by walls of tin or other suitable material, forming a guideway, c, for the key, which is suspended within by a chain passing over a springactuated drum or sheave, I, immediately over it. The winding-drum I rotates upon a fixed axis, i, which is secured to the main door. It is actuated by a coiled spring secured to the fixed axis and to the interior periphery of the drum I, and so arranged that in drawing down the key-chain and so rotating the drum the spring is wound up ready to wind the chain back again by its reaction. A ratchet-wheel, r, and pawl 19, arranged upon the outside of the drum, retain the drum in the position in which it is left by unwinding the key-chain until the pawl is released and the spring allowed to react.

The operation is as follows: The person desiring to give an alarm of tire, and having to open the fire-alarm box for that purpose, opens the small door a to obtain the key hanging by its chain just inside.

key-alarm mechanism is at once set off and continues sounding until the spring runs down, thus attracting the attention at once of those in the neighborhood and apprising them of the fact that an alarm is about to be turned in. The key-chain is drawn out and the key used in the ordinary manner. By this means any one wantonly tampering with the box is detected by reason of the publicity attending the act.

The resetting of the mechanism can only be accomplished by the police or other persons carrying a key to the main door, since the alarm mechanism can only be wound up and set and the key-chain wound upon its retaining-drum by manipulations made with the main door open.

To reset the mechanism it is necessary first to open the door of the receptacle and wind up the alarm in the ordinary manner, when, by pressing down the end of the bent lever E, the end of the trip-lever G is released from the recess f of spring F, and the detent 9 may then be elevated to engage and retain the cogwheel H. Then, by depressing the pawl 12, the drum I is released and the spring (which had been wound up by the withdrawal of the key and chain) reacts and rewinds the key-chain. The main door of the key-receptacle is then closed, the finger b entering above the trip-lever G, and the parts are then in position for action.

The connections of the alarm mechanism may be changed so that the act of drawing out the chain to which the key is attached will operate to give the alarm, or the connection may be made for that purpose with any other part which is required to be manipulated prior to turning in an alarm of fire without departing from the spirit of my invention; but 1 prefer the arrangement shown, because thereby the desired alarm is given before the main box is unlocked, and the opportunity for tampering with the fire-alarm is thus diminished by making the door of the key-receptacle itself a tell-tale.

Having described my invention, 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The method of facilitating the use of firealarm signals and of preventing improper tampering therewith, which consists in providing an independent publicly-accessible receptacle for the key of a fire-alarm box with suitable alarm devices, whereby an attempt to remove the key for the purpose of opening the firealarm box is announced by signal prior to the opening of the box, substantially as set forth.

2. A key receptacle accessible to the public, provided with alarm mechanism, and adapted to be used in connection with a fire-alarm signal-box, whereby an attempt to withdraw the key for the purpose of opening the fire-alarm box will be automatically announced by signal, as set forth.

3. In combination with a fire-alarm signalbox, a key-receptacle provided with signaling mechanism so arranged that a withdrawal of the key for the purpose of opening the main box is automatically announced by signal, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In combination with a fire-alarm signalbox, a key-receptacle adapted to be attached thereto, and provided with signaling apparatus connected with the door a of the receptacle, whereby the act of opening the door of the key-receptacle sets off an alarm-signal, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. The key-receptacle A, provided with a false door, a, with a projecting finger, I), adapted to engage the trip-lever G and release the spring of the signaling mechanism D, for the purpose of signaling the removal of the key therefrom, substantially as specified.

6. In combination with the alarm-striking mechanism D, the trip-lever G, provided with the retaiuing-detent g, and the bent lever E, provided with spring F, having an offset, f, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. In combination with the key-receptacle A and the key provided with a chain, the springactuated drum I and retaining-pawl 19, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

8. The guideway c, in combination with the false door a of the key-receptacle, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of J anuary, 1880.

GEORGE A. GAWLER.

Witnesses:

RIcHD. T. CLARKE, HENRY S. LAYTON. 

